Abra de Chachacomani – 4,365m

Departamento de Oruro, Bolivia

Coming from the south the climb begins in Macaya (3,800m), 30km from the pass. If you stick to the main road and descend to Mogachi before climbing to Chachacomani then much of this climb is on a bad surface. Later, we crossed this pass from another direction, taking the direct and sandy road from Lagunas which joins the main Tambo Quemado – Chachacomani road 100m below the pass.

Much of the western part of the Bolivian altiplano is completely flat, but in the environs of this pass the landscape is dominated by the volcanoes in Parque Nacional Sajama – nearby Acotango and Capurata, and the higher but more distant Sajama, Parinacota and Pomerape.